Illinois Connection

I moved to Illinois in 1985, attended high school in Marion, Illinois until graduation in 1987. Resided in Carterville, Illinois during college. Moved to Herrin, Illinois for a time as well as Carbondale, Illinois. Currently reside in Hurst, Illinois. Have set all of my books in Southern Illinois with fictional towns that I fashioned after the Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge area and surrounding Southern Illinois' areas. I have mentioned several Southern Illinois landmarks in my books and try to capture the essence of the area in my settings. I attended Southern Illinois University (a certification program for Crisis Intervention) and John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois where I graduated with a degree in Registered Nursing. Worked at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, Illinois for almost two decades.

Biographical and Professional Information

I write award-winning Inspirational Action Romance and am multi-published by Love Inspired, the Christian Imprint of Harlequin Enterprizes. I have also been published in non-fiction, poetry, devotionals, worship songs, and national publications including Group Magazine.

"My name's Bradley. I'm eight and have cancer. I want to meet a Special Forces soldier more than anything. Well, almost anything. Having a family would be nice." U.S. Air Force pararescue jumper Joel Montgomery promised to make a sick child's wish come true. Well, not the family part--not with Joel's past. And so despite vowing never to set foot back in Refuge, Illinois, Joel parachuted onto the boy's school lawn to a huge smile. But another smile unexpectedly stole Joel's heart: that of Bradley's beautiful teacher, Amber Stanton, who was trying to adopt the boy. And trying to show Joel it was time for new vows.

Despite a decade apart, this isn't the reunion Mandy Manchester expected! She thought she'd put high school sweetheart Nolan Briggs behind her. Now he's back ... and the pararescue jumber literally sweeps her off her feet. He's ready and willing to rekindle what they once shared. Mandy, though, isn't prepared to put her heart at risk. He left her befodre--she won't trust him again. Can Nolan teach this grounded girl to take a leap of faith?

Amelia North needs refuge, and finds it--in Refuge, Illinois. Stranded there after a car wreck, the single mother expects to be cold-shouldered. After all, she's already been rejected by her parents, her church, and her daughter's father. Instead, she finds a town full of people with open hands and open hearts ... including pararescue jumper Ben Dillinger.

But the one person pararescue jumper Chance Garrison can't seem to help is his own ailing father, who refuses his much-needed physical rehabilitation. That is, until Chance hires unconventional occupational therapist Chloe Callet.

Former Air Force trauma surgeon Mitch Wellington returns to the small Illinois town of Eagle Point to open a trauma center, not knowing that disillusioned nurse Lauren Bates will fast become the best fit for his medical center and for his heart.